


Mythological Physiology & You

by CreamMoon



Series: Bottom Arthur Fest 2017 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), M/M, Non-Human Genitalia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-18 00:49:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10605852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamMoon/pseuds/CreamMoon
Summary: Finding out Merlin was not solely human came about in an unexpected way. There was no revelation of his magic or sordid confession...No, it was when Arthur came back to the river at an inopportune time, thinking only that Merlin would be washing out their pot and bowls.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I know I said that the 2nd one got out of hand... but the 3rd one... The third one got REALLY OUT OF HAND.

Finding out Merlin was not solely human came about in an unexpected way. There was no revelation of his magic or sordid confession...

No, it was when Arthur came back to the river at an inopportune time, thinking only that Merlin would be washing out their pot and bowls.

Evidently Merlin had thought it prudent to wash himself as well with the time afforded... and even then it was not just a simple cleansing. Nothing was ever simple with the infuriating man.

He was leaned back against a rock as the water flowed by, one hand around his prick.

His very, very peculiar prick.

It shocked him that Merlin would be on the larger size as stick thin as he was, his long fingered hand just barely encompassing it's girth as he stroked up and down, revealing with every down stroke the part of him that was so aberrant from what Arthur knew about the human male form. There were ridges on the shaft of his prick, flushed near as bright as the head that poked out from beneath his foreskin.

Arthur was frozen in place by that revelation and to his great misfortune only a few seconds later his presence was noticed, Merlin yelping and covering himself. "Arthur!!"

Without another thought he fled back toward their camp.

***

When Merlin came back to camp Arthur was still pacing as he had been since he'd arrived, utterly at a loss for what to do with himself. Gazes meeting awkwardly the two turned scarlet, the hair on the back of Arthur's neck raising as he tried to compose himself.

"What... what exactly _are_ you?"

The question hung in the air a moment as Merlin turned even redder, the tips of his ears even touched by the color. "Well we know _you're_ a creature of zero tact."

"Merlin!"

"I'm a human you absolute cabbage head!" He huffed out, gesticulating in an aggravated manner.

"Humans don't have..." Arthur gestured vaguely, helpless with his embarrassment as he avoided looking Merlin in the eye as he tried to still address him directly. "... those things!"

That made Merlin go quiet briefly before quite suddenly a bowl came flying at Arthur's head, the prince ducking away with a yelp.

"You were looking THAT LONG!?" Merlin was redder than wine with his anger and embarrassment, advancing on his employer at an alarming rate. "What were you thinking!?"

Arthur muddled through a few panicked apologies before he remembered the topic at hand, pointing at Merlin as he raised his voice. "Don't you change the subject!!"

Merlin looked fit to hit him for the moment before he threw up his hands in disgust, spinning on his heel and pacing back away from him as he spoke. "FINE! Fine! You caught me, you pervert! I'm not just a human!"

There was a pause before Merlin turned slightly and looked at him again, the one eye that appraised him narrowing a little. "My father was a Dragonlord."

When the words hit his ears his stomach pitched slightly, the implications hitting him like a blow to the face. The dying man, Merlin crying...

Oh powers that be help him, he'd told Merlin to not cry over his own father.

"I- Merlin..."

"Don't." It was said at a normal volume but Merlin might as well have shouted it for how hard it hit Arthur. "Just don't."

Swallowing around the lump in his throat the prince conceded, letting Merlin walk back off into the wood away from him.

***

It went unaddressed for a mortifying amount of time afterward, the pair of them skirting it till it faded enough from their minds so that they operated fairly normally.

The issue only reappeared when Merlin came with him to a dilemma that his parentage was solely to blame for.

"I need time off." Merlin demanded, bag already slung across his body and packed, determination creasing his brow. "I'm leaving today."

Arthur blinked at him from across his desk, parchment still trapped beneath his curled fist, poised to continue writing. "You're what?"

"I'm leaving. I have an errand- no, an emergency that I must tend to." His servant outlined, frown deep as he spoke. "It needn't involve you. Just give me the time off."

The prince scoffed at that, tossing his quill aside and standing, leaning over the surface with his fingers splayed across the wood. "You're being awfully bold, demanding something from me like that."

"You were awfully bold invading my privacy like that." Merlin shot back, eyes narrowing. "Now it's your burden to know my secret, so you deal with the baggage that goes with it."

Though they hadn't talked of it Arthur had parsed slowly all of what it might mean to be a Dragonlord's son, his thoughts heavy with the knowledge that magic went hand in hand with his aberrant physiology. He couldn't understand how Merlin could stand living and serving his household as he did, but Arthur couldn't bring himself to ask the question either. Avoidance was preferable to confirmation.

Instead of answering Arthur just rounded the desk, going to his cabinet and throwing it open, starting to pick through it, leaving Merlin looking perplexed in the middle of the room. "What are you doing?"

"Whatever it is you're _burdened_ with, or I am or whatever, you're not going on your own. You're practically useless on your own." The prince replied, shoving a few things into his bag before Merlin crossed the floor and took it from him, looking aggravated.

"Takes one to know one, you arse." His servant muttered as Arthur beamed at him, the man packing his things in properly and in less time than his master would've taken. Ruffling Merlin's hair the blonde man moved away, going to see about his weapons and his traveling boots.

***

It takes him half the journey to get Merlin to tell him a single thing, and when he does Arthur wants to punch his lights out.

"We're stealing a dragon egg? That's in a tomb!?"

Merlin grunted the confirmation, ignoring him as they climbed the rise of the hill. "More saving it than stealing."

"Grave robbing is grave robbing." Arthur stated, earning an aggravated huff out of the warlock. "I can't believe you were naive enough to trust a vagabond's word just because he happened to be a wayward student of Gaius'..."

"Is it so bad to want to trust in people?" The question was posed innocently enough but there was something about it that struck Arthur as sad. Scrubbing a hand over his mouth he considered his next words a bit more than he normally would have.

"No, Merlin."

***

When they arrived at the tomb they found it cracked open and fraught with traps. For the first time since his parentage came to light Merlin was not shy about his abilities, dispelling several crippling obstacles with a wave of his hand, Arthur's body prickling with both unease and admiration. The altercation in the chamber ended as poorly as he thought it would, but what followed was worse. When Merlin plucked the dragon egg reverently from the pedestal it rested upon the ground beneath their feet began to shake, the pair looking wild eyed at one another as the roof began to crumble.

It was hard to say how they made it out without grave injury, even with magic on their side the feat seemed a miracle, the pair of them scraped and tired but thankfully largely unscathed. The egg itself was entirely pristine, shielded by Merlin's hunched form as they'd fled.

Arthur's overcome once they're out, seizing Merlin up and pulling him in close for an embrace, the egg in Merlin's arms caught between their bodies as the prince buries his face against the warlock's shoulder. For a few moments Merlin is stiff before he drops his forehead to mirror the blonde's stance, heaving a sigh of relief.

"... aren't you glad you didn't come alone?" He finally asked after a long stretch of silence, tone tentative as he wondered if it was a mistake to even ask his servant something so emotional.

"... I suppose you were useful. Sort of." Merlin chuckled, nuzzling seemingly absentmindedly up against Arthur's neck, making the prince's breath catch in his throat. "You're still a clotpole though."

Arthur comes dangerously close to kissing his infernal manservant and doesn't know what to make of the impulse, slowly releasing the taller man before gesturing off behind them. "Let's get moving."

Gods knew what they'd do now that they'd retrieved the egg, but either way they needed to start heading home.

***

They ended up having to camp for the night, thankfully the cover of a short hunting trip enough to keep the pair of them from being under too much scrutiny when they returned. Despite that Arthur still found himself full of boundless anxiety, his mind replaying their flight from the tomb over and over again till his insides felt knotted.

Once Merlin has finished pacing back and forth around camp settling the egg into whatever sort of safety he deemed appropriate for it he found his servant staring openly at him, dust smeared over his cheeks and into the mild cut that was bright across the rise of his cheekbone. Arthur figured he must be in some similar state, his tunic so full of dust the blue of it was completely muted. Thinking of his dishevelment made him almost want to laugh. It was no wonder Merlin would be staring.

"What?" He finally asked, raising his eyebrows at the warlock as he focused hearing the question. "Something on my face? In my hair?"

"You look like you've just come down off of one of Gaius' shelves." Merlin replied, eyes twinkling as a small smile curved his lips. "We should see about cleaning up, don't you think? Hunts don't usually lead to such a bedraggled state."

"Couldn't you just...?" Arthur waved his hands in a vague magical gesture, making Merlin's brow crease with confusion for a moment before he snorted.

"Why waste that kind of energy when there's water nearby?"

Arthur didn't bother to ask what informed him of that, assuming that the spring Merlin led him to thereafter known to him because of his obnoxious magical powers that he had just declined to use. Starting to disrobe Arthur stalled out briefly, noting that Merlin was following suit.

Merlin paused when he caught him looking, smirking slightly as he quirked an eyebrow his way. "It's not like I've anything to hide, nor do I want to wait for you to finish up."

Arthur huffed at his gall but said nothing, shucking completely out of his tunic and working on his breeches, kicking his boots away as he heard telltale splashing, the warlock stupidly fast at getting out of his clothes by comparison. Finally free of everything but his smalls he turned back to the water, his clothes still clutched close as he moved toward the edge. Dropping them hesitantly he finally looked toward where Merlin was, the man in question floating on his back as though this had been about leisure all along. "Are all peasants as useless as you at washing themselves?"

"One would think you'd find me efficient." Merlin replied, tone laden with a suggestiveness that made the blonde's ears burn, his gaze quickly diverting as he slowly made his way into the water, slipping off his small clothes and tossing them on shore once he was appropriately hidden from view. It earned a laugh out of his manservant but he adamantly ignored the sound.

"Would you like me to wash your hair, sire?"

He almost scoffed at the suggestion till his mind fully processed the tone, Merlin's voice having shifted interestingly from the last moment to that one, drawing his gaze back as quickly as it had been diverted. When their eyes met a shiver rolled it's way up Arthur's spine, the intense expression on display catching him off guard. Finally he managed a nod and Merlin swam in close, directing the prince to duck under the water so he could start washing off all the debris proper.

"You know... for a moment there..." Arthur murmured, tilting his head forward slightly as Merlin's fingers ran through it, massaging gently. "It seemed as though you've done something like this before..."

The hitch in Merlin's motions said a great deal, Arthur frowning deeply. "Have you been gallivanting off on your own?"

A beat or two passed and still no response. "You should've come to me."

"You're so thick." Merlin murmured, sounding tired as his motions stilled finally, his hands sliding down to rest on Arthur's shoulders. "... all this time I've... it's not..."

"It's not _what_?"

"I never wanted to make you lie for me." The warlock admitted, Arthur's brow furrowing as he felt his servant lean in. "I always wanted to tell you... but your... The climate of Camelot isn't..."

"I didn't want to put you in this position." His tone wavered, the man in question practically hiding his face against Arthur's hair. "There's already enough danger with you as the ruddy Crown Prince..."

Arthur wasn't sure what possessed him to turn and pull Merlin into an embrace but there was something about the conversation that he couldn't let by, holding the other man tightly with one arm as he cupped the back of his neck, speaking softly against his left ear as he tried to soothe him. "It's okay, Merlin. It's okay."

He shook his head slightly, thumb petting absently over the curls at Merlin's nape. "I don't resent you... and I'm glad I know what I know now."

The prince wasn't sure if Merlin was weeping or not, his shoulder already wet enough that it would be indistinguishable, but there was something about the way the other man trembled in waves that made Arthur's chest tight. "Merlin..."

"How is it you're such an awful prat all the time and then turn around and be so... so good?" The warlock asked, following it with a strained laugh. "You make my heart hurt."

Merlin pressed his forehead to Arthur's and the prince was momentarily swept up in the thought of how lovely the other man's eyes were. "Arthur..."

The prince isn't sure what possesses him to kiss Merlin but he's certainly glad for it, his friend practically melting as their lips touch, his hands splaying against Arthur's back. His focus goes singular for a moment to the softness of Merlin's lips before sensation floods in, Arthur cataloging in quick succession all the ways it felt right to be holding Merlin like this.

When it breaks Arthur feels lost a moment, words tumbling unbidden from his mouth. "Never again. Don't ever leave me out again, do you understand?"

Merlin nods and surges forward a second later, his hands cupping Arthur's face as he kisses him roughly, passion igniting and sending fire coursing through his veins. Arthur scarcely knows what to do with himself, his hands grappling at the other man as though he wasn't already chest to chest with him.

His mind was blank with pleasure till something rubbed against his thigh, the strangeness of it drawing his attention so much that he couldn't continue, his prick throbbing suddenly at the thought of what it could be. Merlin made a noise of complaint but looked down as well, letting go a low laugh when he figured out what was going on.

"Sorry... just-" It sounded though the warlock choked on his own tongue as Arthur dropped a hand between them unthinkingly, taking the wiry man's cock in hand. The impulse itself was baffling but Arthur couldn't resist, drawing his hand down over the shaft curiously, wondering at the feel as Merlin gasped against his neck. " _Arthur_..."

"Is this... does it feel all right?" Arthur asked, swallowing hard as he drew his thumb over one of the ridges, face hot as he wrestled with sudden anxiety. "I've never..."

Suddenly Merlin has seized him up in another kiss, tongue delving in passed his lips and caressing it's counterpart, the warlock's hands smoothing down his back and making Arthur shiver. Moaning into his mouth the prince adjusted his hold, tracing over the tip before surrendering for the moment, letting go as he allowed Merlin to manhandle him through the kiss till they were starved for air.

"Let me..." The words seemed to stick in Merlin's throat as he nuzzled and rained kisses down upon Arthur's cheeks, the blonde man feeling overwhelmed by the affection after so long having his servant held at arm's length. "Let me take care of you, Arthur. Please?"

Sucking in a short breath Arthur found himself nodding, cupping Merlin's face in both hands and kissing him again as the warlock shocked him, hoisting him up and carrying him back to the water's edge. Settling Arthur down on the edge Merlin took to his neck first, kissing and biting as he moved down over his throat, trailing down over his chest and stomach before straightening up again. "Are you... So you've not been with anyone?"

Arthur just shook his head, averting his eyes briefly before forcibly settling his gaze on Merlin again. "I'm not a swooning maid, Merlin. Just get on with it."

"Oh, don't worry sire, it's quite obvious what you are right now." Merlin chuckled, his hand curling around Arthur's prick, the prince suddenly wishing he'd just kept his upper hand, the warlock's smirk just that side of infuriating. Smug peasant harlot...

The warlock leaned into him as he worked over Arthur's prick, each stroke up making him inhale sharply, his hands finding purchase on Merlin's shoulders as the pleasure rolled through his body. Merlin seemed to be entranced, his gaze drifting between Arthur's face and where his hand worked like both were amazing sights to be seen. It made it hard for Arthur to keep his eyes open, the effect both attentions were having on him making his stomach twist again and his face burn. "Oh _gods_..."

Everything was so overwhelming and he wondered if he hadn't been so afraid, so stubborn, if this would've come to pass sooner. They'd both been avoiding talking about it... Arthur couldn't believe how much he'd missed the closeness that they'd had before he'd spied Merlin's secret that brought the divide in. Mouthing at Merlin's jaw he turned his head up a bit further and nudged the man into a kiss, the motions stalling for the moment and giving him better clarity to kiss the warlock with the fervor he wished to impart, cupping his face with both hands. When it broke he breathed a tiny sigh. "Is there more?"

"More?"

"More... that we could do." Arthur elaborated hesitantly, squirming slightly when Merlin's grip on his cock firmed again, his hold adjusting as he watched Arthur carefully.

"There can be...? If you wish it." Merlin murmured, smiling gently. "If you'll trust me."

"I trust you." He confided unthinkingly, face burning again. "I trust you with everything."

The warlock colored at the confession, making Arthur smile. Finally a bashful response out of the infernal man. "Then let us get out of the water... There's much to do."

***

Instead of starting with whatever complex thing he'd alluded to Arthur found himself sprawled on his bedroll with Merlin stroking their cocks together, the blonde man finally getting a feeling he understood the ridges presence. The drag of them against his prick was exquisite, enhanced beyond the smoothness that might've been provided otherwise, the slick Merlin had conjured up making the rub even better. At some point the tables had turned in who was doing the admiring, Arthur openly staring at Merlin as he worked them together, the flush of his cheeks and the curve of his lips maddening to the Prince.

Eventually the warlock slowed and released them both, leaning over the Prince to kiss him, urging Arthur to spread his legs wider. His hands traced along the insides of his thighs as their lips worked against each other, the occasional flick of tongue making them both shiver with desire.

The kiss lingered even as Merlin made to move on, prising Arthur open gingerly as the prince gasped, propping himself up on his elbows and moaning against the warlock's ear. "This... this is so good... why's it so good?"

Merlin laughed at the breathless question and kissed him again, the paler man seemingly drawing the preparations out to spite him, Arthur squirming and practically begging against his mouth for him to hurry up and get to... whatever this was called. Surely there was a name for it, but Arthur had never heard any rumblings amongst the knights aside from a brief crude moment or two. "Merlin _please_..."

"All right, all right..." The warlock shushed him mildly, smiling all the while as he adjusted their positions, sitting back on his haunches and manhandling Arthur practically into his lap, the prince still laid back on his bedroll for the most part. Licking his lips idly Merlin took himself in hand, rubbing his slicked palm over his shaft before lining himself up. The sensation was less strange now that he'd been already debauched by Merlin's fingers but it still made the prince squirm, his nerves briefly coming to the fore. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him, cocking his head in silent question, unmoving.

Flushing darkly beneath the scrutiny Arthur huffed and jerked his chin forward in a vague sort of "get on with it" gesture, the Dragonlord rolling his eyes at the bravado, smoothing a hand over his hip as he pressed inside slowly.

As they make progress forward Arthur is struck with a thought, the shudders induced by each ridge that slides passed his rim lending more and more evidence. Merlin's cock is built for nothing but enhancing the pleasures found together, the prince moaning long and loud when he began to thrust properly, the drag back out making him breathless. Throwing an arm over his eyes he bucked his hips back, seeking more of that exquisite friction. "Merlin!"

"Oh _Arthur_..." The shaken tone made Arthur peek out from beneath his arm, the blonde pleased to find the warlock seemingly as consumed as he was. Using what little leverage he had he pushed back on that magnificent cock, reaching up and pulling Merlin over him further as their pace picked up. Each thrust had him seeing stars, his grip on Merlin tightening as his climax drew closer.

Suddenly Merlin leaned back and hooked his hands beneath Arthur's knees, nearly folding him in half as he changed their position abruptly, the warlock's thrusts devolving into a rough, deep grind with him refusing to pull out very far. With the adjusted angle it was hitting inside him just perfectly, his cock aching as he bucked and cried out, orgasm just a hair out of reach. "Mer _lin_!"

With one last thrust the prince found himself flooded with heat, gasping with the sensation as he was suddenly tipped over the edge. His head felt so light he thought he might pass out, his stomach sticky as Merlin flopped on top of him, surely making it worse in the process. "Oh _gods_..."

"...nope, just me." Merlin chuckled softly, the cheeky bastard.

"You're the worst..." Arthur panted, carding his fingers through the back of his manservant's hair, feeling exhausted and boneless. "Absolutely insufferable."

"And still absolutely inside you."

The prince made an affronted sound but did nothing more, eye lids heavy.

***

Riding the next morning was... an experience, to say the least. Arthur was still amazed that he could walk, let alone ride this way... But Merlin had made some very choice promises... so he stuck it out, biting his tongue through the discomfort.

"...do you think it will hatch soon?" He asked idly, watching as Merlin coddled the egg, it tucked against his chest like a newborn babe.

"Oh... I don't know. It's said to have been there for hundreds of years... Might not hatch for a hundred more..."

The egg gave a little shudder and there was a sort of telltale tap tap tap, only slightly muffled by Merlin's hold.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at his companion, looking unimpressed.

"Ah yes. Surely a hundred more."

It seemed that this adventure was far from over.


End file.
